Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Local Government Update

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations (The Rt Hon. Michael Gove MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is today establishing the Office for Local Government (Oflog) and publishing new Best Value Guidance for consultation.Oflog is a new performance body focused on local government in England. It will provide authoritative and accessible data and analysis about the performance of local government, and support its improvement.By collating, analysing, and publishing existing data about the relative performance of councils, it will help councillors and the public have the information they need to scrutinise more effectively local decisions; it will ensure council leaders can compare themselves against their peers and find examples of good practice to learn from; and it will allow central government and its partners to identify where there might be challenges and a need to step in to give support, where appropriate.Oflog will improve the transparency of local government performance by publishing data in a clear and accessible way on the new Local Authority Data Explorer. Initially this includes a subset of service areas for data - adult skills, adult social care, finance, and waste management. These service areas will be expanded to cover the breadth of what local authorities do, and the initial metrics will be improved over time.Local authorities have a critical role in providing essential services and building stronger communities. Oflog will recognise and celebrate the local authorities who do this best – making sure that those local leaders get the credit they deserve and showcase the best in class so others can learn from them. Where local authorities are identified as at risk of potential failure, Oflog will convene dialogues between local authorities and expert local leaders to explore the issues in more detail. In parallel, Oflog will consider performance in areas with devolution deals so that it can reflect their progress.The Government believes that giving local leaders increased freedoms creates improved outcomes, but we have heard from colleagues that devolution needs to be matched with accountability. Given the scale of ambition of our devolution programme it is right that we have the appropriate checks and balances in the system. Oflog will work closely with DLUHC and local partners, particularly the mayoral combined authorities, to make sure that the outcome metrics used are the most appropriate for holding devolved areas and their leaders to account for their performance.Oflog is not an attempt to micro-manage councils or establish an expensive compliance regime, nor will it require box-ticking or filling in forms. This is not about recreating the Audit Commission.To give greater clarity to local authorities – and help to identify potential failures – we are also launching a consultation into new statutory guidance on what constitutes Best Value, and the standards authorities are expected to meet by government and residents.This new guidance sets out seven themes of good practice for running an authority to secure continuous improvement and provide value for money. These include the characteristics of a well-functioning local authority and those used to identify challenges that could indicate failure.The guidance also sets out the models of statutory and non-statutory intervention available when standards are not upheld. We will publish the final guidance after the department considers the results of the consultation.Further information on Oflog can be found on the Oflog Gov.uk website which contains the policy document, ‘Office for Local Government – Understanding and Supporting Local Government Performance’ and link to the Local Authority Data Explorer.Further information on the Best Value guidance can be found on the Gov.Uk website.A copy of the Best Value guidance for consultation and the Oflog policy document will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

Simplifying the Funding Landscape for Local Authorities

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: My Honourable friend the Minister for Levelling Up (Dehenna Davison MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:I am today publishing this Government’s plan for simplifying the funding landscape for local authorities. This plan sets out our ambition for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the current funding system.This publication follows the commitment within our landmark Levelling Up White Paper, to deliver a more transparent, simple, and accountable approach to funding.This Government is focused on continually improving the way funding is delivered, including by minimising burdens and paperwork on all organisations bidding for funds, to unlock the potential of local economies, create visible improvements within communities, and ensure that more funding does not mean more bureaucracy.By reducing administrative burdens on local authorities, this plan will support them to maximise their return on spending, generating the best outcomes for communities. This plan is one step in a long line of measures that have already been announced, to increase the impact and reduce the red tape around funding and levelling up.The plan details three main phases for change:Immediate simplification of existing funds and communication. This includes a new ‘Simplification Pathfinder Pilot’ to test the streamlined delivery of capital funding in a small group of local authorities. We are also amending our project adjustment request process for Town Deals, the Levelling Up Fund, and the Future High Streets Fund, giving local authorities more flexibility to change projects;A new ‘Funding Simplification Doctrine’ requiring departments to strive for a simpler and more streamlined way of delivering funding to local authorities, including considering allocative distribution approaches;Reforms to be implemented at the next Spending Review, including single multi-year departmental-style funding settlements for the trailblazer Mayoral Combined Authorities and better join up across interconnected policy areas and investment programmes.Together, these reforms meet our Levelling Up White Paper commitment to streamline the local funding landscape. As set out in the plan, we will continue to engage with local authorities on all aspects of funding simplification.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Eleventh Meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (James Cleverly), has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee met on 3 July 2023, in Brussels with delegates attending in person and by video conference. The meeting was co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP and European Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič. A Joint Statement was agreed.The Committee welcomed progress on the implementation of the Windsor Framework and adopted new arrangements that embed the joint solutions found by the UK and EU, which are critical for businesses and people in Northern Ireland.Both sides agreed to continue working expeditiously to deliver the Framework and to maximise the potential of the relationship between the UK and the EU, as exemplified with the recently agreed Memorandum of Understanding on financial services.The Committee addressed other important issues including the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK. Both sides recognise the important contribution these citizens make to the UK and EU, and remain committed to upholding their rightsThe Committee also received an update on the work of the Withdrawal Agreement Specialised Committees since the last meeting on 24 March 2023 and adopted the Withdrawal Agreement Annual Report for the year 2022, pursuant to Article 164(6) of the Withdrawal Agreement.  The Committee adopted two Decisions:on adding two newly adopted Union acts on sanitary and phytosanitary measures (agri-foods) and medicines to Annex 2 to the Framework.on amending Part I of Annex I of the Agreement, by amending the list of recommendations and decisions by adding two decisions of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems which are not listed in Part I of Annex I of the Agreement and by removing three decisions which have been replaced by the two new decisions.